Monorail train



E. LAUBER MONORAIL TRAIN Nov. 14, 1967 Filed April 9, 1965 INVENTOR Emr/aar MM wf/f- ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,352,254 MONORAIL TRAIN Ernst Laube-r, Thun, Switzerland, assigner to'Maschinenfabrik Habegger, Thun, Switzerland Filed Apr. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 446,893 Claims priority, application Germany, Oct. 21, 1964, M 62,828 7 Claims. (Cl. 10S-4) The present invention relates to a railroad, especially for monorail or multiple-rail trains of a size and weight smaller than that of standard trains.

fFor producing the required adhesion on the rail track, it is generally necessary to make the locomotive or motorcar of a train of a certain weight. This weight, in turn, requires the track including its foundation and anchoring means to be made of considerable sizes and strengths. If the rail track is intended for elevated trains, suspension trains, or other trains traveling on a supporting framework, such as are employed especially for -monorail or multiple-rail trains of a small size as used, for example, in exhibitions, parks, and the like, it is also necessary to build the required supports, trusses, beams, or the like so as to possess a considerable strength. The costs involved in building such a track are in many cases so high that the entire project of such a railroad has to be abandoned.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned `disadvantages by reducing the stresses to which a rail track including its foundation, supporting structure, anchoring means, and the like, must be subjected and which result from the weight of the train as required for producing the necessary adhesion on the rail track.

For attaining this object, the invention provides in general that a plurality of cars of each train which are distributed at least substantially along the entire length of the train are equipped with driving means. Preferably all of the cars of the train are provided with driving means and may therefore be -driven simultaneously. The train may also be of an articulated chainlike type by being provided with bogies which are located between the individual cars or car bodies of the train and each of which supports two adjacent cars or car bodies. All of these bogies or at least a certain number thereof which are distributed within the llength of the train may then be equipped with drivin-g means and be driven simultaneously.

The present inventiontproduces the advantage that the weight which by the adhesion between the wheels and rails is employed for-driving the train is distributed along its entire length so that the individual rails of a certain length will either be subjected to a lower specilic Weight or the train may be provided with a considerably higher driving power. The rail track including its foundation, supporting or bridge structure, or the like may therefore either be built of a considerably lighter structure or it may be much better utilized than this woul-d be possible if the same driving weight would be concentrated upon a much shorter length of a rail track supporting a train. A l

If the trains are driven electrically, the electric current is preferably furnished by a central power supply in the form of alternating current which is then converted into direct current by means of a rectifier which may be mounted, for example, in the front car of a train for supplying the driving motors of the individual cars or bogies thereof. Each pair of wheels or the wheels of each bogie may be driven either by a common motor or individually by separate motors.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed 3,352,254 Patented Nov. 14, 1967 description thereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE l shows a side view of an articulated chainlike train;

FIGURE 2 shows a top view of the train according to FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 shows on a larger scale a top view of a part of a similar train while driving along a curve; while FIGURE 4 shows a cross section which is taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FGURE 3 with the modication of the described arrangement shown in dashldotted lines.

As illustrated in the drawings, the two rails 10 of a dual rail track for carrying the trains of a railroad or the like of a substandard size are supported on posts 11. Such a train is illustrated in the form of an articulated chainlike train 12 which consists of a plurality of coach or car bodies 13 which are not driven directly on the rails 10, but are supported in pairs on separate bogies 14 to which they are pivotably connected by perpendicular joints 15. The bogies 14 are equipped with rollers or wheels 16 which are movable along the upper flanges 17 of the rails 10. These wheels 15 may be provided with a rubber lining or with pneumatic tires or the like. They are driven, for example, by a common electric motor 18 through a reduction gearing 19. Furthermore, a differential gearing 30 may be provided between the two wheels 16 of each pair as schematically indicated in FIG. 3. Instead of being driven by a common motor, the wheels may also be driven individually, for example, by two motors 18 and 18a, each of which drives only one of the two rollers or support wheels 16 of each pair. The motors for driving the individual wheels may also be mounted above each other or side-by-side, for exa.rnple,-in front of or behind the wheels. If desired, each motor may also be designed so as to drive two or more wheels which are mounted behind each other, as seen in the direction of the rails. For supporting the car bodies 13 on the bogies 14, the latter are provided with bearing blocks 20 and 21 facing forwardly and toward the rear, in which the pivot pin 22 of the joint 15 is mounted and on which the car bodies 13 are pivotably mounted by means of bushings 23. The car bodies 13 are also supported on the lower bearing blocks 21. Y

Each pivot pin 22 also serves for supporting a guide roll 24 which engages between the two guide rails 10 and is movable between them with a small play. Each car body is further supported by bracing rolls 2S which are rotatably mounted on bearing blocks 26 on the drive housing 27 and engage from the outside against the rails 10.

Such an articulated chainlike train which may also consist of a considerably larger number of links than illustrated in the drawings has the advantage that the entire weight of the train may be utilized for attaining sufficient adhesion for driving the train. Since this weight is equally distributed along the entire length of the train, the rail structure will be subjected to a very low specific load independently of the length of the train, and it may therefore be built of a relatively light construction. Even though the train may drive along relatively sharp curves,

it will always be securely guided in lateral directions. It also has an excellent climbing capacity.

If desired, it is also possible, for example, by interposed rubber elements, by employing universal joints, or by similar means, to support the individual car bodies on the bogies so as to be movable in all directions so as also to permit the train to drive without dificulty along vertical curvatures which are due to changes in inclination of the rails and along superelevated horizontal curves in which the individual cars and bogies of the train must be able to twist relative to each other.

The chainlike train may also be designed in such a manner that veach bogie is rigidly connected to one of the two car bodies or car units which are supported thereon, while the other car body or car unit is connectedv to and supported on the bogie Vso as to be pivotable in all directions. According to another very preferred embodiment of the invention, each individual car body is provided at one end thereof with a rigid bearing element for pivotably connecting the same to a bogie in a manner so as to prevent lateral inclining or tilting of the body relative to the bogie, while at the other end of the car body is provided with a universal connection, for example, in the form of suitable rubber elements or the like. Each individual bogie may then be provided accordingly with different connecting means.

The invention further provides that each wheel or pair of wheels, and especially each driven wheel or pair of wheels, or a plurality of such wheels which are distributed along the length of the train are equipped with brakes so that the train may be quickly and reliably slowed down in any driving condition, especially also on steep downhill grades. The brakes are then preferably centrally controlled, for example, from the front car of the train.

The electric current, usually alternating current, may be supplied to the train, preferably to the first car or bogie thereof, by means of a live rail 31 which is preferably providedv centrally between the two guide rails. The first car or car body of the train or another car or car body which is especially suitable for t-his purpose and may also carry the engineer or conductor of the train contains a rectifier 28 and preferably also all other necessary control elements. The rectifier 28 which is supplied from the live rail 31 through a contact 32 with alternating current then supplies direct current through conductors 33 to the motors 18 and 18a of the individual bogies. The train may have any desired length and may otherwise be of any desired design and construction. Instead of running on dual' rails which may have any desired gauge, the train according to the invention may also run on monorails.

Although my invention has been illustrated and described withI referencev to the preferred embodiments thereof, I wish to have it understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiments but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim is:

1. A railroad train comprising, in combination, a plurality of successively arranged car bodies having adjacent ends;

(a) a plurality of bogies respectively located between adjacent ends of said car bodies and respectively supporting said car bodies at said ends thereof, each of saidl bogies having a plurality of rolling means adapted to engage rail means, the axes of said plurality of rolling means of each bogie being located in a single substantially vertical plane extending transverse to the elongation of said train, said plurality of rolling means for each bogie including at least one support wheel turnable about a substantially horizontal axis and adapted to engage a top surface of the rail means and a pair of bracing rolls turn- (b) and connecting means connecting each bogie to 5 said adjacent ends of said car bodies tiltable about a substantially vertical axis while substantially preventing tilting of said car bodies relative to said bogie about horizontal axes.

2. A railroad train as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of rolling means of each bogies include a pair of support wheels arranged along a common axis.

3. A railroad train as set forth in claim 1, and including a plurality of drive means respectively connected to at least some of said support wheels.

4. A railroad train as defined in claim 3, in which said drive means comprise electric direct-current motors, a common alternating-current supply, rectifying means on at least one of said cars for rectifying said alternating l current, contact means on at least one of said cars for transmitting said alternating current to said rectifying means, and means for transmitting the rectified current from said rectifier to all of said motors on said bogies.

5. A railroad train as set forth in claim 4, and including a drive motor for each of said support wheels.

6. A railroad train as set forth in claim 1, wherein said rolling means of each bogie include a pair of support wheels arranged along a common axis, and including a differential gearing 4connecting the two track wheels of each bogie.

7. A railroad train as set forth in claim 4, and including an electromotor for each of said support wheels, each electromotor having an axis aligned with the axis of the support wheel driven thereby.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 424,062 3/ 1890 Hazard 10S-4 424,818 4/ 1890 Perret 10S-52 432,142 7/ 1890 Knight 10S-52 467,969 2/ 1892 Byllsby 10S-52 640.050 12/ 1899 Von-Thal et al V10S-54 745,953' 12/ 1902 Barnard 10596.2 l992,682 5/ 1911 Muller 29053 1,204,411- 11/1916- Conrad et al 321-21 1,286,130 11/1918 Sim'mon 105-49 2,036,194 4/ 1936 Burrows et al. 105--118 2,322,149 6/ 1943 Lewis 105-117 2,342,724 2/ 1944 Candee 10S-4 2,391,103 12/1945 Piron 172--36 2,735,973 2/ 1956 Akerman 318-94 2,848,102 8/ 1958 Whitney 105-4 X 2,920,580 `1/1960 Williams 10S-159 X 2,970,250 1/1961 Hibbard 318-111 X 3,002,470 10/ 1961 Flowers 10S-4X 3,060,867 10/ 1962 Holmquist 105-145 3,143,977 8/1964 Deller 10S-144 3,199,463 8/ 1965 Kneiling 105-1 3,208,400 9/1965 Bingham 10S-215 FOREIGN PATENTS 845,989 y8/ 1960 Great Britain.

ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

H. BELTRAN, B. FAUST, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A RAILROAD TRAIN COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF SUCCESSIVELY ARRANGED CAR BODIES HAVING ADJACENT ENDS; (A) A PLURALITY OF BOGIES RESPECTIVELY LOCATED BETWEEN ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID CAR BODIES AND RESPECTIVELY SUPPORTING SAID CAR BODIES AT SAID ENDS THEREOF, EACH OF SAID BOGIES HAVING A PLURALITY OF ROLLING MEANS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE RAIL MEANS, THE AXES OF SAID PLURALITY OF ROLLING MEANS OF EACH BOGIE BEING LOCATED IN A SINGLE SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL PLANE EXTENDING TRANSVERSE TO THE ELONGATION OF SAID TRAIN, SAID PLURALITY OF ROLLING MEANS FOR EACH BOGIE INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE SUPPORT WHEEL TURNABLE ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS AND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A TOP SURFACE OF THE RAIL MEANS AND A PAIR OF BRACING ROLLS TURNABLE ABOUT SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS AND RESPECTIVELY ADAPTED TO ENGAGE OPPOSITE SIDE FACES OF THE RAIL MEANS; (B) AND CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTING EACH BOGIE TO SAID ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID CAR BOGIES TILTABLE ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL AXIS WHILE SUBSTANTIALLY PREVENTING TILTING OF SAID CAR BODIES RELATIVE TO SAID BOGIE ABOUT HORIZONTAL AXES. 